ARTICLES ABOUT WRESTLING BY DATE - PAGE 2

Lehigh University's wrestling team is welcoming a class of 15 recruits to the fold, including Pennridge star Scott Parker (125) and three-time National Prep finalist Dylan Milonas (157/165) of Blair Academy. Patrick Coover, Milonas' teammate at Blair, is also in the recruiting class and projected as a 165-pounder. "We love bringing in kids from the area," Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro said in a news release. "It's important for any school to have local people in the program. It's something we've done over the last few years and something we want to continue to do, but we also need to continue to bring in the best kids we can throughout the country.

Bethlehem Catholic's wrestling program was approved by the PIAA on Wednesday to compete in Class 3A next season. Also passed by the organization was a proposal to increase the size of the individual state championship brackets from 16 to 20 wrestlers in 2A and 3A. For District 11 3A wrestlers who compete in the Northeast Regional, which also includes Districts 2 and 4, it means the number of state qualifiers from each weight class will increase...

Big changes likely are in store for the PIAA wrestling landscape in the 2014-15 season. The PIAA District 11 Committee on Wednesday voted unanimously to approve Bethlehem Catholic's application for its wrestling team to compete at Class 3A next season. For that to happen, the PIAA Board of Directors must approve it at the next scheduled meeting on May 21. "I don't anticipate it being a problem," district chairman Bob Hartman said, "but this is my first year [on the PIAA board]

The Pennsylvania Chapter of USA Wrestling is holding the 2014 PAWF Elite Freestyle Clinic Sunday, April 27 at the Caruso Wrestling Complex at Grace Hall on the campus of Lehigh University. The clinic features 2014 U.S. Open freestyle champion Keith Gavin, a former Lehgih Valley Athletic Club wrestler, as well as several current LVAC wrestlers who competed at last weekend's U.S. Open. The clinic, which is designed for wrestlers 12-and-older, will feature offensive techniques, defensive techniques and an open session along with questions and discussion.

A position is open at Catasauqua High School for a head wrestling coach for the 2014-15 season. Applicants must have experience as a varsity head coach or assistant coach in a successful program, according to the high school's website. Those interested should submit a letter, resume, credentials and FBI clearance to Thomas R. Moll, II, Director of Student Activities, Catasauqua High School, 2500 West Bullshead Road, Northampton, PA 18067. The deadline to apply is April 28. For more information, call the high school at 610-697-0111 or visit http://www.cattysd.org.

Warren County prosecutors said Thursday that no criminal charges would be filed against a group of Phillipsburg High School wrestlers who posed with a black wrestling dummy hanging by a rope around its neck. The prosecutor's office, along with Phillipsburg police, conducted an investigation to determine if criminal charges were merited when the group posed in a photo in February that went viral and sparked outrage. The photo depicted several wrestlers surrounding a wrestling dummy hung by its neck and dressed in an opponent's uniform.

Omar Porrata, the former Palisades High School wrestling coach who ignited controversy in January by forfeiting a meet against Bethlehem Catholic High School, has sued the PIAA, alleging it defamed him and deprived him of a fair hearing. The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association sanctioned Porrata in February after finding that his decision to pull out of the meet without notifying the association or school officials was unsportsmanlike conduct. In its decision, the PIAA said that any school in its District 11 that employed Porrata during the remainder of the 2013-14 season and the 2014-15 season would be banned from PIAA postseason competition.

Nazareth's Tyler Tarsi and Palmerton's Josh Evans listened intently as the academic, athletic and extracurricular credentials for all 23 scholar-athletes were read aloud at Sunday evening's District 11 Wrestling Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Banquet. They both were taken aback a bit when their names were called as a winners. Tarsi was selected as the Class 3A scholar-athlete and Evans was the 2A recipient. Both seniors will receive a $750 scholarship to put toward their college educations.

Blair Academy hired Navy's interim head coach to take over its nationally ranked wrestling team. Brian Antonelli, who spent the last eight years on the Navy staff, will replace Solomon Fleckman as Blair Academy's wrestling coach, according to a school release. Fleckman, who guided the team to Intermat Wrestling's No. 1 ranking, will remain part of the program, the release said. Antonelli, who won a national prep title at Blair in 1993, has wrestled for Navy and the Marine Corps.

District 11 will host its 2014 scholar-athlete wrestling banquet Sunday at the Best Western Ball Room in Bethlehem. Twenty-three high school wrestlers will be honored at the banquet. District 11 will also award two scholarships, one in Class 3A and another in Class 2A. In addition, District 11 will induct four new members into its wrestling hall of fame.